Manifesto for a Sustainable Healthcare System and Healthier EU Citizens

As policymakers from around the world gather for the World Health Summit in Berlin (13 - 15 October 2024), Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe today calls on EU policymakers to commit to ten policy recommendations to ensure the European Union puts sustainability at the heart of the region’s healthcare.

In a new EU Manifesto 2024-29 published today, HCWH Europe sets out key policy changes newly-elected Members of the European Parliament could support to accelerate the shift toward sustainable healthcare systems.

The healthcare sector represents over 10% of the EU’s GDP and is responsible for around 5% of the region’s net climate emissions, significantly impacting human health and the environment. HCWH Europe’s manifesto sets out ten policy priorities aimed at minimising healthcare’s environmental footprint, increasing its resilience to the effects of climate change, protecting and improving public health, forcing pharmaceutical companies to reduce the negative environmental impacts of their products, and making healthcare systems fit for the future.